Kerry's military service is solid, admirable

A July 24 letter, "Most veterans "revile' Sen. Kerry," quoted a scathing view by Admiral Roy Hoffman, who said he was "vain," "impulsive," and a "loose cannon."

How does Adm. Hoffman know these terrible things about Kerry? Did Kerry ever receive an adverse evaluation?

Like the letter writer, I am a Vietnam veteran, although I served in the Army and claim no expertise about the Navy. But officers in all services have their performance reviewed and formally appraised.

An Army officer receiving an evaluation featuring the Hoffman invective would soon face a board, convened to decide on his fitness to continue serving. The Navy may be different, but it seems unlikely that Kerry ever received such a harsh assessment.

Another claim was that Kerry's medals were "specious," meaning, presumably, unearned. If the admiral has evidence of such carelessness or outright misconduct, has he notified anyone who can act on it?

A final question: If we veterans "revile" Kerry, then what should we do in November? Vote for war heroes, like Bush and Cheney?